#galvanising problems

[zingaireland]

Zinga Dipping Method

Zinga can be used in dip-tanks for fast application onto blast-cleaned or phosphated steelwork. Where the steelwork is to be phosphated, it must have a minimum weight of 1200 – 1500g/m2. The viscosity of the liquid zinc in the tank will determine the final dried film-build of the zinc layer.

Items should only be dipped once, and never double-dipped, as this causes slight waves on the zinc surface.

The zinc can be force-dried in either low-bake ovens @ 40degrees C or in a standard powder-coat oven @ 180 – 200 degrees C.

Short-wave infra-red ovens dry the zinc-film in 2 minutes.

After dipping in the zinc tank, articles can be sent straight through the oven without waiting for a flash-off period. Once the dried Zinga-coated items leave the oven and cool down to below 50 degrees C they can be coated with powder or wet paints.

For more information about Zinga Dipping Method visit Zinga

[the-irrelevant-trumpeter]

just scrolled on instagram for an hour because i got obsessed with a series of videos and the memes made about it

[astrangetorpedo]

Julien Baker Track by Track - An Interview with Apple Music

“Everybody is scared of death or ultimate oblivion, whether you want to admit it or not,” Julien Baker tells Apple Music. “That’s motivated by a fear of uncertainty, of what’s beyond our realm of understanding—whatever it feels like to be dead or before we're born, that liminal space. It's the root of so much escapism.”

On her third full-length, Baker embraces fuller arrangements and a full-band approach, without sacrificing any of the intimacy that galvanised her earlier work. The result is at once a cathartic and unabashedly bleak look at how we distract ourselves from the darkness of voids both large and small, universal and personal.

“It was easier to just write for the means of sifting through personal difficulties,” she says. “There were a lot of paradigm shifts in my understanding of the world in 2019 that were really painful. I think one of the easiest ways to overcome your pain is to assign significance to it. But sometimes, things are awful with no explanation, and to intellectualise them kind of invalidates the realness of the suffering. I just let things be sad.”

Here, the Tennessee singer-songwriter walks us through the album track by track.

Hardline

“It’s more of a confession booth song, which a lot of these are. I feel like whenever I imagine myself in a pulpit, I don't have a lot to say that's honest or useful. And when I imagine myself in a position of disclosing, in order to bring me closer to a person, that's when I have a lot to say.”

Heatwave

“I wrote it about being stuck in traffic and having a full-on panic attack. But what was causing the delay was just this car that had a factory defect and bomb-style exploded. I was like, ‘Man, someone got incinerated. A family maybe.’ The song feels like a fall, but it's born from the second verse where I feel like I'm just walking around with my knees in gravel or whatever the verse in Isaiah happens to be: the willing submission to suffering and then looking around at all these people's suffering, thinking that is a huge obstacle to my faith and my understanding, this insanity and unexplainable hurt that we're trying to heal with ideology instead of action.”

Faith Healer

“I have an addictive personality and I understand it's easy for me to be an escapist with substances because I literally missed being high. That was a real feeling that I felt and a feeling that felt taboo to say outside of conversations with other people in recovery. The more that I looked at the space that was left by substance or compulsion that I've then just filled with something else, the more I realised that this is a recurring problem in my personality. And so many of the things that I thought about myself that were noble or ultimately just my pursuit of knowing God and the nature of God—that craving and obsession is trying to assuage the same pain that alcohol or any prescription medication is.”

Relative Fiction

“The identity that I have worked so hard to cultivate as a good person or a kind person is all basically just my own homespun mythology about myself that I'm trying to use to inspire other people to be kinder to each other. Maybe what's true about me is true about other people, but this song specifically is a ruthless evaluation of myself and what I thought made me principled. It's kind of a fool's errand.”

Crying Wolf

“It's documenting what it feels like to be in a cyclical relationship, particularly with substances. There was a time in my life, for almost a whole year, where it felt like that. I think that is a very real place that a lot of people who struggle with substance use find themselves in, where the resolution of every day is the same and you just can’t seem to make it stick.”

Bloodshot

“The very first line of the song is talking about two intoxicated people—myself being one of them—looking at each other and me having this out-of-body experience, knowing that we are both bringing to our perception of the other what we need the other person to be. That's a really lonely and sad place to be in, the realisation that we're each just kind of sculpting our own mythologies about the world, crafting our narratives.”

Ringside

“I have a few tics that manifest themselves with my anxiety and OCD, and for a long time, I would just straight-up punch myself in the head—and I would do it onstage. It's this extension of physicality from something that's fundamentally compulsive that you can't control. I can't stop myself from doing that, and I feel really embarrassed about it. And for some reason I also can't stop myself from doing other kinds of more complicated self-punishment, like getting into co-dependent relationships and treating each one of those like a lottery ticket. Like, 'Maybe this one will work out.'”

Favor

“I have a friend whose parents live in Jackson, where my parents live. They’re one of my closest friends and they were around for the super dark part of 2019. I'll try to talk to the person who I hurt or I'll try to admit the wrongdoing that I've done. I'll feel so much guilt about it that I'll cry. And then I'll hate that I've cried because now it seems manipulative. I'm self-conscious about looking like I hate myself too much for the wrong things I've done because then I kind of steal the person's right to be angry. I don't want to cry my way out of shit.”

Song in E

“I would rather you shout at me like an equal and allow me to inhabit this imagined persona I have where I'm evil. Because then, if I can confirm that you hate me and that I'm evil and I've failed, then I don't any longer have to deal with the responsibility of trying to be good. I don't any longer have to be saddled with accountability for hurting you as a friend. It’s something not balancing in the arithmetic of my brain, for sin and retribution, for crime and punishment. And it indebts you to a person and ties you to them to be forgiven.”

Repeat

“I tried so hard for so long not to write a tour song, because that's an experience that musicians always write about that's kind of inaccessible to people who don't tour. We were in Germany and I was thinking: Why did I choose this? Why did I choose to rehash the most emotionally loaded parts of my life on a stage in front of people? But that's what rumination is. These are the pains I will continue to experience, on some level, because they're familiar.”

Highlight Reel

“I was in the back of a cab in New York City and I started having a panic attack and I had to get out and walk. The highlight reel that I'm talking about is all of my biggest mistakes, and that part—‘when I die, you can tell me how much is a lie’—is when I retrace things that I have screwed up in my life. I can watch it on an endless loop and I can torture myself that way. Or I can try to extract the lessons, however painful, and just assimilate those into my trying to be better. That sounds kind of corny, but it's really just, what other options do you have except to sit there and stare down all your mistakes every night and every day?”

Ziptie

“I was watching people be restrained with zip ties on the news. It's just such a visceral image of violence to see people put restraints on another human being—on a demonstrator, on a person who is mentally ill, on a person who is just minding their own business, on a person who is being racially profiled. I had a dark, funny thought that's like, what if God could go back and be like, ‘Y'all aren't going to listen.’ Jesus sacrificed himself and everybody in the United States seems to take that as a true fact, and then shoot people in cold blood in the street. I was just like, ‘Why?’ When will you call off the quest to change people that are so horrid to each other?”

(x)

[lyinginbedmon]

I don't know how much I can reasonably lean into the weird-fae-creature bit before it becomes unhealthy, but I do find a lot of familiarity and comfort in it.

First and foremost, it's liberating to deliberately identify with something that by definition isn't human. I don't have to concern myself with unreasonable standards if I'm not something in their jurisdiction. So what if I'm weird, so what if people will stare, they did that anyway.

Secondly, it's an indelible tie to my family's history in Ireland. Our modern understanding of the fae is a complex subject, but a lot of it originates in Irish folklore and the sidhe, as well as it its historical interaction with Christianity. Having never even set foot in Ireland myself, a second-generation immigrant (assuming zero-indexing, because of course I am) raised entirely outside of that culture, that's deeply meaningful. It means I'm carrying something from the island with me every day and encourages me to learn more about it.

Thirdly, it's predictive. Fae being repelled by iron is a myth, but the fae are tied in with a lot of ideas about naturalism and anti-industrialism. So in a nutshell, anything bad for nature is invariably going to cause me problems, which aligns neatly with my circumstances as a multiply-disabled chronically ill person. Green fields and fresh air won't help those circumstances, but they certainly won't make them worse (at least as long as they're reasonably disabled-access). So it gives me a grounded place from which to argue for climate preservation, for wildlife protection, and other things of that ilk. I may be a city kid, but I've always held a deep appreciation for such things, and having that direct tie to them is galvanising.

And lastly, perhaps most importantly, it's just fun. I get to be whimsical, I get to be care-free, I get to look for delight in mundane things, I get to be the clown my little nephews can look bemused at, and I get to take principled stands as a messenger from ancient stories here to humble humankind once again.

I might not literally be a daoine sidhe, but I do like being one. It suits me very well. Perhaps that's reason enough.

[scotianostra]

13th November 1715 saw the Battle of Sheriffmuir

There are some dates in history that are etched in your head, like as soon as you see it, or the date is mentioned an event springs to mind, it may be Bannockburn, or Culloden, while I certainly know these dates, Sherrifmuir for some reason is the date that is most recognisable for me, it's strange as the battle holds no special memory and I have no known connection to the battle, it is just "there"….. anyway……. On the hills near Dunblane the Jacobite army under the Earl of Mar was prevented from taking southern Scotland by a much smaller government force.

There was no real winner on the day at Sherrifmuir, Bobbin' John's indecision however left the '15 uprising all but over.

John Erskine, 23rd Earl of Mar had initially been an enthusiastic supporter of George I on the latter's accession to the throne in 1714. But after being publicly snubbed by the new king, Mar decided to back a different horse, and on 1st September 1715 raised a standard for "King James VIII" at Braemar. He rapidly gathered an enthusiastic army of 10,000 men and started to gain considerable ground in northern Scotland. There were three main problems with all of this. The first was that Mar had neglected to tell James in advance of his planned uprising; the second was that he had failed to coordinate his actions with Jacobite uprisings that by coincidence occurred in England at the same time; and the third was that Mar was a very poor general.

Forget the '45 and The Bonnie Prince this was by far the best opportunity the Jacobites would ever have of regaining power and it was squandered.

Had Mar's army pressed on and took the open road ahead of them they might very well have gathered more volunteers along the way and pushed the Hanoverian troops south. James Stuart never arrived until December 22nd, too late to galvanise anything from the situation, the Jacobites still held Perth but by the end of January they had abandoned it and few days later on February 4th the Scottish King and his general sailed for France from Montrose, never to return to Scotland. Remember this was only 8 years after the Union was forced upon the ordinary Scot, there should have been more enthuism for the cause, yet it was not to be, maybe is that sense of what if that makes Sherrifmuir such a vivid memory for me?

[mariacallous]

Georgia's EU crossroads - This Is Europe, The Guardian

Georgia stands at a democratic crossroads – and that’s a problem for the EU, too

A contested vote that returned Georgian Dream to power is dragging the country back into Moscow’s orbit.

How do you solve a problem like Georgia – and, of course, Viktor? One of the most pro-western former Soviet states went to the polls last weekend in a watershed election that may set it on an altogether more authoritarian, Russia-aligned path.

After 30-odd years of pro-western aspiration, with polls showing 80% of its residents in favour joining the EU, its government, led by the populist, far-right Georgian Dream (GD), has been steadily dragging the country back into Moscow’s orbit.

At stake, as Kornely Kakachia of the Georgian Institute of Politics told Pjotr Sauer, is whether Georgia “becomes a sovereign democracy integrated with the west, or falls back into Russia’s sphere of influence” as, potentially, a one-party state.

GD is headed by Georgia’s prime minister, Irakli Kobakhidze, but the puppet-master who has spent a decade masterminding its pivot to Russia and away from the EU is the party’s shadowy founder, billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, profiled by Pjotr here.

Georgia’s electoral commission duly declared the ruling party won 54% of the vote – a result that the pro-western opposition forcefully rejected, accusing GD of a “constitutional coup” achieved through intimidation and coercion.

International observers from bodies including the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the EU reported multiple incidents of threats, physical violence and harassment of voters – but stopped short of saying the elections had been stolen or falsified.

Georgia’s pro-EU president, Salome Zourabichvili, refused to recognise the results, saying the country had fallen victim to a “Russian special operation … a total rigging, a total robbery”. Thousands took to the streets of the capital, Tbilisi, in protest.

But it is unclear whether the opposition will be able to galvanise enough support for fresh elections, as it has demanded – or what kind of backing it can expect from the EU, for whose leaders the election results pose a significant problem.

The EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, along with the French and German foreign ministries, slated “significant election irregularities” and urged a full investigation, and Poland’s foreign ministry said the bloc “must stand with Georgia”.

But Hungary’s illiberal prime minister, Viktor Orbàn – whose Christian-conservative, family-values, Moscow-friendly, nativist-authoritarian playbook GD has essentially adopted – hailed an “overwhelming victory” and headed straight for Tbilisi.

With Hungary holding the rotating six-month EU presidency, that drew a stinging rebuke from 13 member states – including France, Germany and Poland – who criticised Orbàn’s visit as premature and stressed he did not represent the bloc.

The Hungarian leader has form: at the start of Hungary’s presidency in July, he visited Kyiv, Moscow, Beijing and Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago on a so-called peace mission. Orbàn’s visit to Tbilisi guarantees Georgia will loom large in an informal summit of EU leaders in Budapest next week.

The EU is used to Orbàn’s divisive antics. But the question of how to proceed with Georgia is existential. (The country was granted candidate membership status last year, though its application was then paused in response to a controversial Russia-inspired “foreign agents” bill passed in May.)

Elections in Moldova last week and Georgia have provided yet further evidence – although Moscow denies it – of a concerted and well-funded effort by Vladimir Putin to reverse eastern Europe’s decades-long march westwards.

How should the EU respond to what a Guardian editorial called “a dismal sign of the times”? Washington has gone as far as sanctioning GD members. On Wednesday, the Commission said it would “not be in a position to consider recommending opening membership negotiations” unless Georgia changes course. Commission president Ursula von der Leyen could well come under pressure to go further.

For the moment, wrote Natalia Antelava, “the biggest winner is the Kremlin, which has just won a battle in its global war against liberal democracy. Georgia’s opposition is unlikely to succeed unless it gets focused attention from Europe and the US.”

However, she concluded: “With the tragedy that has enveloped the Middle East, the drama of the US elections, and the urgency of the increasingly unsustainable war in Ukraine, events in Georgia will struggle to compete for attention.”

[waterdeep-weavemoss]

One hand on the wheel and the other reviewing his calculations, Gale looks steadfast and dashing in the early morning glow. His long overcoat whips about his calves in the wind, his hair buffeted to and fro. It hardly seems enough to keep him warm, given the way he keeps his shirt open to his sternum.

Gale’s startled when Doe comes bounding up the stairs to him, nearly dropping the logbook in his freehand at the sight. Tara, perched on his shoulders, flares her wings out wide, chirruping a greeting. The sailing master’s greeting, a tired half smile, falters at her words.

“You what?” His eyes go wide. “You- I-”

Gale hesitates, brown eyes darting between Doe and Astarion who trails after her. She looks positively eager at this prospect. A cambion? To help him? A literal gods-damned devil?

His mouth works, half-formed syllables caught in his throat and the back of his tongue as he tries to find any set of coherent words to explain. Gale’s mark throbs painfully, flaring with light - and this time the logbook does fall from his hand, clattering onto the deck as his hand raises to clutch at his chest.

He manages to steel himself against the surge to look up at her, his expression twisted into a panicked grimace, his eyes backlit a soft green.

“Lass,” he starts, shaking his head with trepidation, “I don’t know that a devil’s going to have any answers for my particular problem. It’s not exactly a warlock’s pact...”

Gale’s eyes flit to Astarion as he straightens with the ebb of the discomfort. His hand still rubs against the center of the mark, even as he rolls his shoulders to try and loosen the tension further. There’s a deeper sort of pain in his expression - more than just the physical. That, at least, softens when he turns his gaze back to Doe.

“I trust you to gather information - believe me, I do,” Gale starts hesitantly. “But you don’t need to put yourself in so much danger for me. Especially...especially not for me.”

-G.D.

'Too late.' Her tone is nonchalant, but her anxious fingers are braiding and coiling sections of her hair into buns on the top of her head. She whistles for the jackdaw, feeling his weight land softly on her shoulder. 'I'll be in a whole heap of trouble if we don't show up. I know it's not a warlock pact, but it's got to be close enough, right? Who else am I going to ask? We should use everything at our disposal- and that's what I mean, Gale. He likes me right now, and while that's the case I'm going to leverage that weakness. We have Faust because he wanted to spy on us. Call it payback.'

Her eyes are steely. She wants revenge, to claw back something from her and Raphael's last encounter. He's not going to use me up like he does every other poor bastard he gets his claws into.

'I'm not doing this for you.' A lie. 'I'm doing it for me.' Her hair lifts on the strengthening wind- she can feel her anger in it. The whip of her hair into her eyes rips a growl of frustration from her. She draws her dagger and hacks at it, sending dark tresses to the deck and looking back to Gale with jagged tendrils across her forehead. 'We need to go,' she implores. 'Gale.' She grits her teeth against tears, draws at the anger to galvanise her instead. 'I was drunk and injured and angry. He took advantage. He doesn't get to do that to me twice. Do you understand me?'

[runwayrunway]

THIS IS YOUR CAPTAIN SPEAKING: A VERY IMPORTANT UPDATE

So, I've mentioned this distantly, but I'm going to be out of the country for a little bit! From the 21st of October to the 4th of November, I am going to be in the United Kingdom. In addition to the simple fact that I'll be busy doing things, I have a few specific, longer posts I'd like to release on the topic. So, while I'm on vacation, I'll be doing one weekly post each Friday in order to ensure I can actually finish writing them (or at least make it far more likely).

While I'll be maintaining my normal schedule for the 13th, 16th, and 20th, I am going to make sure that they are actually shorter posts, to the extent that if I sense myself getting carried away with something that will eat a legitimate chunk of time I will immediately slot it onto the backburner. That's just how it has to be in order to ensure I can write about a topic I think is actually deeply interesting.

I may post some pictures I take of airplanes while I'm there, though, and I'll still be answering asks and all that sort, and probably posting a couple updates on airlines I've already talked about. I wouldn't even rule out teeny mini-reviews like the ones I've done for Aviatsa and the Alaska Airlines Toy Story logojet, but I'm going to be occupied with, you know, the things I'm there for. I'll also be posting at odd hours compared to usual, given the time difference. Not that odd, though, since I work late shifts.

I know my posting has been pretty spotty recently - my last few weeks have been pretty hectic due to a sharp increase in workload at my day job, getting things in order to travel, and other larger life events that I'm not really going to discuss here, plus I've been working on a few things behind the scenes, like a logo, an actual functional navigation page, research for a follow-up post on a certain topic, plus more! Hopefully once this block of extreme preoccupation passes I'll get back in my rhythm.

(Which is two posts a week. Three posts is just not going to happen again, sorry. The posts I write are too long and detailed and good now! Fantastic problem to have, in my opinion. And I hope in your opinion too!)

for all of your continued support. The fact that enough people are interested in my writing, particularly the longer, more research-driven posts I've begun committing to as I probe areas of airline history I think are fairly underdiscussed, that I have to make a big update post means the world to me. I really love what I do here and I think seeing more airplanes is really just going to galvanise me even more and I'm very excited to show you the planes I see on my little journey - and talk about British Airways' surprisingly interesting liveries.

[thoughtportal]

Hundreds Help Restore Defaced Tschabalala Self Sculpture in the UK Vandals spray-painted the artist’s sculpture of a Black woman in white. 

https://hyperallergic.com/823737/hundreds-help-restore-defaced-tschabalala-self-sculpture-in-the-uk/

Last Monday, May 15, in a South English coastal town, vandals defaced Tschabalala Self’s “Seated” (2022), a 10-foot public installation depicting a Black woman facing the sea. In what has been characterized as an act of racism, perpetrators covered the New York artist’s bronze sculpture with spray paint, violently coating the Black woman’s skin with white.

“Painting the skin of my sculpture white is an obscene act and I feel horribly for individuals in Bexhill-on-Sea for whom this event may have shocked or frightened,” Self said in a statement.

The sculpture is currently located on the lawn outside the De La Warr Pavilion (DLWP), an arts center in Bexhill-on-Sea. The artwork is part of a temporary public art installation by the arts center with support from the Pilar Corrias Gallery in London.

With Self’s support, the arts center organized a community event on Sunday, May 21 to restore the sculpture. What followed was “an act of restoration and resistance” as over two hundred local members armed with paint solvent and scrubbing materials came together over the weekend to begin cleaning the sculpture, according to a press release from the pavilion.

Self’s artwork often includes depictions of the bodies of Black women and femme individuals, rendered in various mediums. In “Seated,” Self explores what she describes as “a universal act of leisure and calm.” Commissioned by the digital art collection platform Avant Arte, the sculpture first appeared in a mall near King’s Cross in London last year.

“I wanted to create a monumental sculpture for the public that spoke to this simple joy,” Self said in a text about the work. “The woman is strong, beautiful, and self-possessed. She represents all individuals, but women in particular, who understand the power and importance of simple gestures that assert their right to take up space.”

The sculpture was later unveiled in the seaside town, on the lawn outside the DLWP, on April 19.

Sussex Police did not respond to Hyperallergic‘s request for information regarding the investigation. In October 2022, the UK Home Office, responsible for policing in England and Wales, released a report that indicated a 26% rise in recorded hate crimes.

The community restoration event began at 11am and ran until 1pm. “We hope that the peaceful community clean-up event of last Sunday — and its far-reaching impact and support — will show the perpetrators that the majority of our community will not tolerate any future acts of this kind,” a DLWP spokesperson told Hyperallergic.

“Although certain measures were already in place, we have now improved the intensity and reach of our security measures, including refreshed signage next to the sculpture to deter further acts of vandalism, which is an ongoing problem on our seafront,” the spokesperson added.

“Seated” is set to re-open to the public on June 3. For the event, the arts center is celebrating with a community picnic in commemoration of “the power of art to galvanise and connect people and communities.” The sculpture will be on view until October 29.

“Despite my disappointment, I am not surprised as Black and Female — and especially because Black Female bodies are often targets for abuse,” Self said in her statement about the recent vandalism. “‘Seated’ proudly represents the beauty of both blackness and femininity, and for these very reasons she has been harmed: covered by her assailant with white spray paint in a futile attempt to erase her colour and, in my mind, her strength.”

[toskarin]

How romantically compatible are your typical male and typical female character archetypes? Either way I think they should kiss.

so this is going to be a deliberately ungenerous reading of my own writing, by me, the person writing my own reading

my female characters tend to strong-weak, which is to say that they've got a very strong moral compass that's mostly just causing them agony over the fact they wouldn't like themselves as a friend

my male characters tend to be weak-strong, which is to say that they put on a front of having solved those problems, but are actually swallowing them down

at some point, both either have confronted or will confront something that forces them to pry their sense of self loose from its jaws. they either become galvanised by this or descend further into their worst impulses

they're very similar in a lot of ways! any relationship between them would be tumultuous for a lot of reasons, especially because they're both gay

[unitedbydevils]

Match review: Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Manchester United

Another game, another struggle, only this time we got the defeat we deserved.

Last time we played, we beat Spurs 2-0 in a performance that was one of the most controlled I've seen from a United team in years. It was clinical, efficient, and assured. Yesterday we saw quite the opposite.

United started brightly and were fair for the first 30 minutes, but as the first half wore on the tactical discipline - or perhaps just comprehension of Ten Hag's tactics - fell away.

Garnacho played like a youth prospect; without discipline or focus.

Antony was incredibly wasteful and drifted inwards so often it forced Bruno to move out wide right.

Casemiro and Martinez seem off the pace still.

Rashford does not want to be CF, for all he says he's happy to do it. He does not have the discipline or know-how.

Mason Mount - what he do?

The second half saw Postecoglou's Spurs sharper, and United fall away. The midfield battle was a whitewash, which put the defence on the back foot and left the forwards unable to have any impact.

Subs of Sancho, Eriksen and Dalot helped matters a little, and late additions of Martial and Pellistri didn't get much chance to impact, but all in all it felt like the end of the road for Erik Ten Hag's current strategy with this first XI.

Midfield cannot control a game at present. Amrabat, or even McTominay, might bring some balance to proceedings. The problem is Mount; he's an ideal rotation with Bruno, or a 10 if Bruno's an 8. We know the captain CAN play as an 8, so why is ETH not pushing that matter?

Beyond that, a lack of a CF is criminal. Greenwood shouldn't return but United also have an injured Højlund who's yet to make his debut (and is 20) and an Anthony Martial who is seemingly fit? but also as reliable as a Tory MP. Rashford is being asked to lead the line as a wing forward who likes to stretch a defence. Two different styles.

We face Arsenal soon but Nottingham Forest are next. Rashford left, Sancho right, Martial no9. Lets see how that works for us. Similarly, fucking buy Amrabat already. He's cheap. We're just bad at sales. Van de Beek's sale is dragging. Bailly is still here despite his fee being £0 for prospective buyers. Williams and McTominay might go. These are all tasks for the pre-season, not post-kick off. We should have the funds from these sales to bring in Amrabat and maybe Pavard. It's frustrating that we're still seeing shortages in the team.

I know, I know, Mount was £60m, you get Amrabat and Pavard for his fee. It's true. I still think he has a lot to offer though and needs time to bed in, to understand. He tries hard, has good technical skill, and I think will perform better than Antony's first season. Pressure is far higher at United than Chelsea though, especially after a tough year with injury, Chelsea's managerial merry-go-round... it's hard to settle mentally.

We're only two games in. This isn't disaster territory. It isn't as bad as last year either. Both our opponents had new manager bounce too. We just have to fix up quickly and click, because Arsenal and Brighton are in better shape than Spurs and will do a number on us. Maybe the old baptism of fire might galvanise the squad, but I don't back these lads under the cosh too much. Plucky game vs Barca? Sure. Underdog vibes, shit's exciting. League vs Brighton, who constantly trouble us? We'll panic or get frustrated and sulk our way out of a gameplan and into a 3-0 panning.

[charlesandmartine]

Monday 27th February 2023

We cattle drovers have a tough life. Up at the crack of dawn, breakfasted by 8.30 and down to the pens ready for loading the cattle onto the truck that will take them to the saleyard in Roma. 20 large beasts were earmarked for this little treat that sadly was not to turn into a day out. A return ticket wasn't promised. How Dave managed to get this lot into the pens in the first place completely defeats me. These were apparently not the biggest of the assortment, but they looked huge to me. A couple of weeks ago some of the really big ones were taken for their trip of a lifetime; they were rounded up by helicopter. The art of getting 20 beasts onto a truck is indeed a well orchestrated choreographed, synchronised event involving a series of different pens and heavy galvanised gates. Firstly 12 were separated out for the initial batch on. Each cow having already made plans for the day found these at odds to the general principle of a road trip. The biggest problem for Dave was persuading them to make new plans. The other big problem for him was to skillfully be out of their way when collectively they yielded to all this encouragement and stampede in entirely the wrong direction. With a great deal of shouting, stick waving and immense bravery, they were moved from one pen to the next; Kaylee above on the gantry operating gates, they charged up the ramp and into the open barred truck. The most lunatic operation came next when Dave had to himself run up the ramp, in with the new travellers and extremely swiftly slam shut the heavy steel partition so that the process could be repeated with the remainder. What a job! Hats off to the pair of them. Bad news for the 20 I'm afraid, but extremely good news for one. The black male and smallest had been separated from the crowd and set loose to live another day whilst Dave roared off in a cloud of dust towards the main highway.

We then climbed aboard the jeep and headed off to the Station road entrance to collect the mail that is delivered twice a week and then drove the 3km back up the wobbly drive to the house. Upshot is, can I continue to put my signature to the execution warrant and eat beef? For Dave each of the 20 cows will sell for 2000 dollars. I don't expect Dave to stop signing.

This afternoon's treat was to be driven in the jeep by Kaylee around the estate. I had no idea what 20,000 acres actually looks like. It is massive. We seem to keep driving and driving with no clue where we were. Huge paddocks separated steers from Sheila's, ones for sale others to feed up, others in calf. Then we made it to the goats paddock. Some 1000 or more; not absolutely sure because they breed pretty quick. One issue they have is stuck goat syndrome. The paddock has stock fencing around it and small goats intent on reaching the tempting yellow wild flowers on the other side, stick their little heads through the fence and their tiny horns lock in place which means they can't pull their head back out! Kaylee had to pull up in the jeep and free them. She did 3 then one must have thought it so much fun that she did it again! This couple are amazing. Apart from the odd bit of extra help they run this enormous farm on their own. On top of the usual tasks running the farm they also have responsibility for cutting the roadside grass for the local council. Not too difficult I suppose, but their patch is 300km of roadside!!! Once a year.

Well, it's been a very interesting and informative couple of days for which we feel very privileged to have had. Tomorrow we hit the road again providing we manage to get the Nissan back to the Highway!

[dandelionjack]

just watched kier-la janisse's 3 hour documentary epic about folk horror as a mode of interpretation and understanding of vastly different styles and eras of genre cinema and despite everything the fact remains that most "horror" "fans" and creators are cowards who firmly stick to their guns regarding their ingrained assumptions and prejudices about cultures/beings/identities that are seen as the other, continuing to proliferate these damaging harmful narratives without questioning which parties may benefit from a version of the story being told from this particular point of view. what ends does the instilling of fear, the most powerful, potent, galvanising in some cases emotion, serve for an audience? (obviously this is the case with any other genre and in actuality just a far wider problem sort of inevitable in a regime that instructs which ideas are to be spread to the masses) but again, it's vital to consider this issue specifically within the realm of horror, since nothing inspires scapegoating, hatred and self-righteous violence quite like blind fear of a phenomenon that the required effort has not been put into comprehending

[thecrankiestofgremlins]

Remember yall: feeling guilty helps no one unless it galvanises *action*. No one is asking us to feel guilty because we're white. What is being asked of us is to acknowledge this shit as a fact and then start working on the problem. To quote bell hooks "privilege is not an and of itself bad. What matters is what we do with privilege." Feeling guilty about having privilege helps absolutely no one. Use the privilege you have to help people.

i dont think whites understand how being white makes literally everything easier.

it effects everything.

being trans is easier when youre white.

being gay is easier when youre white.

being disabled is easier when youre white.

being a woman is easier when youre white.

being autistic is easier when youre white.

oppression is eased when you are white, as you get extra privileges, and your whiteness is seen as a positive characteristic that in some ways counter-balances your other forms of being a minority. whiteness controls everything.

you are automatically way more innocent in your own oppression as a gay, trans, disabled person because of your whiteness.

never forget this.

[jasonvanof]

A Guide to Maintaining Your Plumbing System

A well-maintained plumbing system is the beating heart of any modern home. From the intricate network of HDPE pipes carrying water throughout your house to the complex drainage system whisking away waste, your plumbing requires regular attention to function efficiently. Understanding how to maintain these vital systems can save you thousands in repairs and prevent catastrophic failures that could damage your home.

Understanding Your Home's Plumbing Infrastructure

Your home's plumbing system is a crucial, often unseen, component of daily life, delivering fresh water and managing wastewater with precision. It is more intricate than it may appear at first glance, comprising two primary subsystems that must work together seamlessly: the fresh water supply system and the drainage network.

The Fresh Water Supply System

This system is responsible for delivering clean, potable water to various fixtures and appliances throughout your home, including faucets, showers, toilets, washing machines, and dishwashers. The water typically enters your home from a municipal supply line or a private well, under consistent pressure, ensuring a steady flow.

Material and Construction: Modern supply systems often utilise high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes. These pipes are prized for their durability, flexibility, and resistance to corrosion, making them a long-lasting choice for residential plumbing. In some older homes, you might find copper or galvanised steel pipes, though these materials are gradually being replaced due to issues like corrosion or high cost.

Components: Key elements of this system include shut-off valves for isolating water flow, backflow prevention devices to ensure water safety, and pressure regulators to maintain safe and consistent water pressure.

The Drainage Network

The drainage system plays an equally vital role by efficiently removing wastewater and sewage from your home. Unlike the supply system, which relies on water pressure, the drainage system functions through gravity. Drainage pipes and fittings are installed at a downward slope to facilitate the natural flow of waste away from your property.

Material and Construction: Drainage systems commonly use PVC or ABS pipes due to their lightweight, durability, and resistance to chemical corrosion. Older homes may feature cast iron pipes, which, while sturdy, can corrode or develop blockages over time.

Components: This network includes various pipes, traps, vents, and fittings. Traps (such as P-traps under sinks) prevent sewer gases from entering your home by maintaining a water seal. Vents, connected to the roof, allow air to enter the drainage system, ensuring smooth wastewater flow and preventing pressure build-up.

Connection to Sewage System: The drainage system typically connects to a municipal sewer line or a private septic tank. For homes using a septic system, routine maintenance like pumping out the tank every few years is essential to avoid overflows and backups.

Interplay Between the Systems:

While the supply and drainage systems operate independently, they are interrelated. For instance, proper venting in the drainage system prevents water siphoning from traps, which could compromise the sanitation of your supply system. Both systems require regular inspections and maintenance to ensure they continue to function effectively.

Why It Matters

Understanding the basics of your plumbing infrastructure empowers you to detect early signs of problems, make informed decisions about repairs or upgrades, and communicate effectively with plumbing professionals. A well-maintained plumbing system not only enhances your home's comfort and safety but also adds to its long-term value.

Preventive Maintenance: Your First Line of Defence

Prevention is always better than cure, especially when it comes to plumbing. Regular maintenance can identify potential issues before they become major problems. Start by inspecting visible pipes monthly for signs of leaks, corrosion, or unusual wear. Pay special attention to joints and connections, as these are common failure points. When installing new pipes or making repairs, using quality solvent cement for joining PVC pipes ensures a watertight seal that will last for years.

Understanding Water Pressure and Its Impact

Water pressure plays a crucial role in your plumbing system's health. Too much pressure can strain pipes and connections, while too little can affect appliance performance and cause frustrating daily inconveniences. Install a water pressure gauge to monitor your home's pressure levels, which should typically range between 40 and 80 PSI. If you notice consistent high pressure, consider installing a pressure reducer to protect your plumbing infrastructure.

Insulation: Protecting Your Investment

In regions prone to freezing temperatures, proper insulation is essential for protecting your plumbing system. Modern materials like Griffin foam boards provide excellent insulation for pipes in exterior walls and unheated spaces. Adequate insulation not only prevents costly freeze damage but also helps conserve energy by maintaining water temperature throughout your home.

Smart Habits for Long-term Plumbing Health

Developing good habits can significantly extend your plumbing system's lifespan. Avoid using chemical drain cleaners, which can corrode pipes over time. Instead, use enzymatic cleaners or mechanical methods to clear clogs. Be mindful of what goes down your drains – cooking grease, coffee grounds, and harsh chemicals can all contribute to pipe degradation and blockages.

The Role of Professional Maintenance

While many aspects of plumbing maintenance can be handled by homeowners, professional inspections play a vital role in system longevity. Schedule annual inspections with a licensed plumber who can:

Conduct thorough assessments of hidden pipes.

Use specialised equipment to detect minor leaks.

Clean main sewer lines to prevent major blockages.

Identify potential issues before they become emergencies.

Emergency Preparedness

Despite best maintenance efforts, plumbing emergencies can still occur. Prepare by knowing the location of your main water shutoff valve and keeping basic tools handy. Create an emergency contact list including trusted plumbers who offer 24/7 service. Consider installing water leak detectors in prone areas to provide early warning of potential problems.

The Impact of Water Quality

Water quality significantly affects your plumbing system's longevity. Hard water can leave mineral deposits that restrict water flow and stress pipes. Consider installing a water softener if you live in an area with hard water. Regular testing of your water quality can help identify potential issues before they affect your plumbing infrastructure.

Looking to the Future

Modern plumbing technology continues to evolve, offering new ways to protect and maintain your system. Smart water meters can detect unusual usage patterns that might indicate leaks, while advanced pipe materials offer improved durability and longevity. Stay informed about new developments in plumbing technology to make educated decisions about upgrades and replacements.

A well-maintained plumbing system is essential for modern living, but it requires consistent attention and care. By understanding your system's components, performing regular maintenance, and addressing issues promptly, you can ensure your plumbing continues to function efficiently for years to come. Remember that the cost of preventive maintenance is always lower than emergency repairs, making it a wise investment in your home's infrastructure.

[leicamoments]

A Royal Command Performance

Harrogate Railway Reserves 4-2 Beeston St. Anthony AFC Reserves West Yorkshire Association Football League Division One

There have been a few changes to the reserves’ management team over the past few weeks with Jamie Dunn stepping down and John Wappett taking up the reigns. Jamie leaves the team in really good shape and positioned nicely in the league this campaign.

Chatting to John before kick-off, he has some ambitious plans for the second half of the season, and it was great to hear the enthusiasm for the challenges ahead…there is so much still to play for this season.

On the pitch, the visitors for what was Railway’s last fixture of 2024, were Beeston St. Anthony Reserves; a good team that promised to be a tricky set of opponents for the men from Station View.

The ground staff had worked their magic on the playing surface, and despite the various weather warnings about heavy rain during the week, the Referee was happy to give the game the go-ahead.

The first half got underway as the sun tried to fight its way around the heavy clouds that were racing across the sky, and it was the home team that were to get off to a flying start.

Settling quickly, it was Railway that were pressing forward and creating a number of problems for the visitor’s defence. Harrogate Railway were first to hit the back of the net as the quarter of an hour mark approached, but the referee had already blown for offside, and the goal didn’t stand.

Barely two minutes later and the early pressure was to tell, when a corner from Railway’s right wasn’t cleared and the ball was stroked past the Beeston keeper by Harry Croft to give the reserves the lead, 1-0.

The goal galvanised the visitors to respond, with them starting to put some pressure on the Railway midfield and defenders, however, the home team seemed comfortable in soaking up that pressure and clearing the ball down the field.

Railway’s second was to come from a Beeston freekick in a dangerous area, just outside the home team’s penalty box. The reserves cleared the danger, instantly turning defence into attack with a ball down the centre of the pitch.

The Railway forward took the ball wide around the advancing Beeston stopper [who was a few yards out of the penalty box] and sent a shot goalwards. Unfortunately, the shot was angled more across the face of the goal and the chance seemed like it had gone.

However, the ball was picked up by the Harry Boyer and as the keeper tried to get back, he calmly slotted the ball home to give the Station View team a commanding 2-0 lead on the half hour mark.

As the end of the first 45 approached, Railway had a number of good chances to increase their lead, with them ultimately coming to nothing. Harry Bandeira was proving to be a real thorn in the visitor’s side, with the lively attacker being consistently fouled when getting on the ball.

Railway had dominated the first half with some great possession football, quick attacks, and had created a number of chances…it was hard to understand how they hadn’t scored more than the two they had. Simply put, it was the sort of half that dominant teams don’t want to end.

The second half was to prove to be a completely different beast.

The visitors came out with a resolve to get themselves back into the game, and whereas Railway had controlled the first 45, it was Beeston that were to dominate the early exchanges of the second half.

The home team’s midfield control disappeared, and the play became scrappy which seemed to suit the visitors. Slowly Beeston pushed forward, and the game was being played more and more in Railway’s half.

It wasn’t a surprise when, in the 25th minute, that Beeston got a foothold in the game. A cross from their left was met beautifully in the centre by the forward who headed the ball in, 2-1.

Then a sucker punch; a free kick to Railway for another foul on Harry Bandeira, was cleared by Beeston. The visitors raced down their right with Railway stretched, and as the winger angled into the home team’s penalty box, he passed the ball across for the forward to side foot home, 2-2.

At this point, it was no more than the visitors deserved for their dominance and insightful attacking. It seemed that if there was going to be another goal, it was probably going to be scored by Beeston.

Railway were struggling to stop the flowing football the visitors were playing, who were seemingly able to attack at will and create a number of chances to get their noses in front for the first time in the game.

With just over 30 minutes gone, Railway seemed to be getting more of a grip on the game. Whereas they had been struggleing to hold onto the ball, they were managing to put a few passes together and work their way up the pitch more.

One foray up front saw a Railway player unceremoniously hauled down on the edge of the D, the referee awarding a freekick but didn’t produce a card – even though he was probably denying a goal-scoring opportunity. The resulting shot was cleared, but it did send a warning to Beeston of what the reserves were capable of.

With just over five minutes remaining, both teams were pushing for the winning goal, with the visitor’s looking particularly dangerous. However, Railway were creating chances as spaces opened up behind the Beeston back four.

Another free kick for the Station View team was seemingly cleared out of the danger area by Beeston, but Harry Boyer Met the ball with the cleanest and most perfect swing of the boot, sending it like an Exocet back past the keeper from the edge of the box. Railway had the lead with less than five minutes on the clock, 3-2.

Neither team were about to give up…and despite with there being only a few minutes left, it felt like there was another goal in this game.

As the last few seconds of the 90 ticked down, Beeston had a freekick in a dangerous position on the edge of the Railway penalty box. The shot was deflected by the wall just wide of the post for a corner, which was easily cleared. That had been a real moment of danger for the home team.

Into injury time and the open nature of the game was creating opportunities for both teams to score, but in Beeston’s desperation to get back level, spaces were appearing all over the pitch and it was Railway who were to take advantage.

A footrace down Railway’s left saw the Beeston defence at sixes and sevens; the ball was sent across the penalty box from the byline…with two Railway forwards racing to try and get on the end of it. It was William Bates who managed to stoop low and head the ball in from a yard out…the home team had reestablished a two-goal cushion with seconds left on the clock, 4-2.

With emotions running high, a skirmish ensued between the two sets of players. Angry words were exchanged, but ultimately things calmed down and the game got back underway.

On the restart, it didn’t take long for the referee to blow to end the game and Harrogate Railway Reserves had run out 4-2 winners and earned themselves a very valuable three points.

To say this was a game of two halves, is probably a fair assessment. The first half was undoubtably Railway’s and the second Beeston’s, with the visitor’s probably feeling a little hard done by in the end to lose by two goals.

What Railway did do well was adapt their formation in the final fifteen minutes of the game and made a few personnel changes to freshen up their attack. Yes, they rode their luck a few times, but they also took the chances they created when gaps appeared as Beeston tried to at first get a winner and then sought to get back level.

Going into the new year, Railway Reserves find themselves in fifth place in the table having played a few more games than the teams around them. With a tally of 25 points from 17 games, they will seek to build on this in 2025.

In the end it was Railway’s Harry and William who put in a command performance to crown the day with all three points.